EU Warns South Sudan Caretaker Government Against Overreach

The European Union on Tuesday cautioned South Sudan’s incoming caretaker government against taking decisions with significant political implications as the country prepares for elections scheduled for December, while warning that holding free and fair polls in three months would be an “incredible challenge”. Pelle Enarsson, the EU head of delegation to South Sudan, said a caretaker government should limit itself to routine administration and avoid “overusing its powers” at a time when checks and balances could be weakened. “The concern would be if the executive is overusing its powers at a time when the checks and balances may be somewhat weakened,” Enarsson told journalists in Juba during a press conference. He said the existence of a caretaker government is not in itself a problem, noting that similar arrangements exist in other countries during election periods. Enarsson said the caretaker administration would, however, face the difficult task of responding to a potentially worsening humanitarian situation in South Sudan. The comments came as South Sudan approaches the December 22 elections, with preparations still facing political, technical and financial challenges. The press conference focused on EU priorities for the 81st UN General Assembly and their impact on South Sudan. Ambassador Enarsson said only about three months remained before the planned elections and that the country would need to accelerate preparations. “It’s going to be an incredible challenge to pull off free and fair elections by December,” Enarsson said. He said the elections could still take place if the government provides sufficient resources, technical expertise and capacity, accelerates voter registration and trains the officials needed to conduct the polls. “We need to see in the next few days, from both a technical perspective and a political perspective, if there is readiness for the elections,” he said. Enarsson spoke after meeting Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Michael Makuei Lueth, who briefed him on recent developments in parliament, including the adoption of the national election law and the expected dissolution of the transitional government. President Salva Kiir is expected to dissolve South Sudan’s transitional government on Tuesday evening, after parliament on Monday passed amendments to the election law allowing the president to relieve the vice presidents and dissolve the government three months before the December 22 elections. Kiir signed the amendments into law on Monday. The law also provides for the incumbent executive to remain in office with full constitutional powers throughout the election period until a newly elected president assumes office. The EU envoy said the bloc currently has no funding available to support the elections because it has not received a clear appeal or budget outlining what is required. He said the government should first provide resources for the elections, identify funding gaps and, together with the African Union, potentially approach the wider international community for assistance. Any future international support, he added, would depend on factors including the inclusivity and credibility of the electoral process. “The government needs to be in the driver’s seat,” Enarsson said, stressing that national authorities should first allocate resources before seeking additional international assistance. Inter-party dialogue Enarsson said an inter-party political dialogue expected to begin on Thursday would be important in determining the countrys political readiness for the elections. He said some parties that did not sign the 2018 peace agreement had not accepted the planned polls. If the African Union succeeds in creating a mechanism that accommodates the views of those groups and produces a more inclusive political process, Enarsson said a change to the election calendar could also be considered. He stressed that the EU was not leading the process and that South Sudanese political parties must rea